


Deserve it

by Ulqueleh (Ulquii)



Series: Holiday Ficlets! [15]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Love, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ulquii/pseuds/Ulqueleh
Summary: Shiro understands Keith’s predicament: it’s not exactly like Keith had been in the Blades enough time to get seniority, but more like the Marmora had needed more than just two Seniors to have a grasp of all the work the Blades need to do now that the war had ended. It’s not like Keith doesn't deserve it —which he does— but he’s one of the only three remaining Blades, so giving him seniority feels more like a necessity rather than an accomplishment.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: Holiday Ficlets! [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071713
Kudos: 11





	Deserve it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chaos_Universeson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaos_Universeson/gifts).



> Holiday gift for [Chaos](https://twitter.com/leftishark_?s=20)!!
> 
> I hope you like it!

Keith takes a deep breath, looking intensely at himself in the mirror. Shiro doesn’t want to interrupt whatever discussion or stare down he’s having with himself, but they are a few minutes ago for getting fashionably late.

“Sweetheart,” Shiro calls for him walking closer, hunched down a bit to not startle, he guesses, “Is everything alright?”

Keith swallows, his throat bobbing under the skin-tight undersuit the Blades have as uniform.

“Yeah, it’s just-” He pauses, eyes still on his reflection, and then he turns to Shiro, gaze wavering, “I don’t feel like I deserve it.”

Shiro looks down to where Keith’s fingers are picking on the senior cloth strips that go across his chest from shoulders to hips. It’s the same uniform Krolia and Kolivan use, being them two the only Senior Blades post-war and Keith being promoted almost immediately after the last briefing they had.

Shiro understands Keith’s predicament: it’s not exactly like Keith had been in the Blades enough time to get seniority, but more like the Marmora had needed more than just two Seniors to have a grasp of all the work the Blades need to do now that the war had ended. It’s not like Keith doesn't deserve it —which he does— but he’s one of the only three remaining Blades, so giving him seniority feels more like a necessity rather than an accomplishment.

Shiro gets it. It’s the same way he felt when he was given Kerberos out of spite, just because it would be his last mission and he would finally shut up about being given opportunities before his disease caught up with him. But he knows it wasn't like that exactly. He knows Sam and Matt genuinely thought him a great candidate, that he was capable and more than enough. Keith himself told him so when Shiro doubted himself.

“Baby,” Shiro murmurs, taking a decision, and Keith looks up at him, eyes trembling in fear of not being enough.

Shiro can see at that moment how young Keith looks like that, how similar he is to the wary boy he met years ago, when he hated the world that had taken his father away from him, that had made his mother abandon him, that had rejected him for being so angry and scared. Shiro doesn't want him to feel like that ever again.

“You’re worthy,” Shiro vows, “You deserve this promotion, and you will be up to expectations, Keith.”

Keith blinks, shock on his expression, and Shiro cups his cheek, stroking a thumb across his cheek.

“You’re the best person I’ve ever met, Keith,” Shiro mutters, “You will be better than anyone.”

Keith scoffs, a blush pinking his face and ears.

“Shut up, you’re biased,” he complains and Shiro chuckles.

“I’m being completely objective,” Shiro says, and Keith laughs softly, “Hey.”

Keith’s eyes find his, and Shiro sighs, the swirling purples and blues pulling him in.

“You’ll be the best they’ll ever have, Keith,” he vows, “I mean it.”

The little smile that curves Keith’s lips is sheepish but sincere, and Shiro leans to kiss his forehead, smiling when Keith blushes even more.

“Come on,” Shiro says, pulling him to the door, “You’re ready for anything.”

And Keith feels that if Shiro is saying it, it must be true.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject) (including the [LLF Comment Builder](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/commentbuilder)), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates responses, including:
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 

> 
> This author replies to comments.
> 
> If you don’t want a reply, for any reason (sometimes I feel shy when I’m reading and not up to starting a conversation, for example), feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!
> 
> ~
> 
> Come and yell with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ulqueleh)!


End file.
